04032019-LSTC-01.qxd 3/3/2019 8:17 PM Page 1 c m y b TRIBUNE Kiss & tell Singer-actress Miley Cyrus, who is married to actor Liam Hemsworth, says her first kiss was with a girl. Cyrus opened up about it during a new podcast chat. IANS CHANDIGARH | MONDAY | 4 MARCH 2019 Live in... heaven? T ISTOCK Gurnaaz Kaur BEYOND WORDS Bollywood actress Kriti Sanon at a post release movie promotion for Luka Chhupi, in Mumbai. PTI ‘Fame is an illusion’ In the last few years, Pankaj Tripathi has emerged as a talent to vouch for in Bollywood and the actor says though stardom does not make him delusional, he is aware of his increased responsibilities. The actor has been around in the industry for nearly 15 years, but gained prominence by first featuring in the Gangs of Wasseypur series and subsequently in films like Masaan, Nil Battey Sannata, Bareilly Ki Barfi, Newton and Stree, among others. Tripathi said he often gets to hear he has become a star, but he does not dwell on it. “I feel PANKAJ TRIPATHI humble, I feel a lot of gratitude but I move on to do my work. I know fame is an illusion. It doesn’t matter if you’re a star or not, what is important is that you do your job with absolute honesty,” the actor told. For the 42-year-old actor, more than the tag of a star, it is the responsibility that matters. “The more the audience and the society trusts an actor, the more the responsibility increases for the actor. Right now, I’m more aware about the kind of work I want to do because the expectations are more. I am aware about that,” he added. Tripathi has recently featured in Kartik Aaryan and Kriti Sanon-starrer Luka Chuppi. — PTI CELEBRITY CORNER HERE is a drastic change in the way the present generation perceives relationships. More and more couples are warming up to the idea of a live-in relationship before they actually get hitched. In metros such as Delhi and Mumbai, the co-habitation of partners may not be looked at with raised eyebrows or gaping eyes, but things, it seems, in Tricity and around haven’t matched up with the changed outlook. Now this does not mean there are no live-in couples here, but they are surely hesitant to come on board to share their stories owing to societal pressure. On the condition of anonymity, they did share what it is like to be living-in and in some way hiding out! NO MARRIAGE Alia and Sid (names changed) have been living together for five years. They opted for it not to test their compatibility, but because marriage didn’t make sense to them. “We weren’t too convinced about the concept of marriage. In India, today, it has essentially lost its meaning, at least for us. It has become all about legal rights and safeguarding one’s interests—the alarming rise in the number of divorces is a proof of this. Marriage, as we understand it, is coming together of two individuals who give each other the freedom and encouragement to grow, it’s a sup- AASHIMA WALIA While the movie Luka Chuppi is doing well at the BO, we take a look at the reality of live-in relationships, especially in tricity portive environment that operates on trust. And this is what we have stepped into minus the legal stamp.” However, it all comes with challenges. “Be it finding a house or socialising with neighbours, it is not easy. There is awkwardness around the whole idea. More than our families, it’s the extended families that are a problem. Many a time, we are not taken seriously just because we are not married.” TOUGH CHALLENGE AAMIR KHAN Another couple says the society still attaches a taboo to such relationships. “We have been living together for six years and our biggest trouble has been finding a house. We are living in Nayagaon because a lot of NorthEastern population lives here; guys and girls living together is somewhat accepted in this area. But that doesn’t mean we can own it up. In the last house we said we were married, here we’ve told we are engaged,” say Suman and Arav (names changed). They haven’t been able to confide in their parents because they are sure it won’t be accepted. “My father knows I am dating a guy, he even has a hint about Arav, but I can’t tell them we live together. Being from Ludhiana, whenever they come to visit me, I would initially move in with a girlfriend for a day. Now, I’ve learnt to hide his stuff and tell them a part of the house can’t be used as it has my girlfriend’s stuff strewn around,” Suman smiles. just cannot accept that two people can be sexually involved before marriage. I had to hide it from my parents all along. But there is so much freedom in a live-in relationship.” No legal document is signed by couples who livein, but there is the basic principle of commitment at the centre of it all. It’s the society that needs a change! Be it on screen or off it, tinsel town celebs have no qualms about their relationship status. Here is a list of celebrity couples who were or are living-in: ■ Mugdha Godse and Rahul Dev keep their private life low-key, but they are believed to be in a live-in relationship. ■ Sushant Singh Rajput was in a live-in relationship with his ex-girlfriend, Ankita, and he even announced it at one point. ■ If rumours are to be believed, Virat Kohli and Anushka Sharma lived-in before tying the knot. ■ At one point, Kiran Rao was not sure about marrying Aamir Khan but moving in with him made all the difference. ■ Kareena Kapoor endorses the idea of live-in as she tried it with Saif Ali Khan before they became man and wife. ■ Bipasha Basu and John Abraham’s split was a sensation, as much SAIF ALI KHAN as was their jodi. They went on record about their live-in that lasted nine years. ■ Even Ranbir Kapoor and Katrina Kaif are said to have lived together in a posh apartment in Bandra for many years, but unfortunately, they parted ways after six years. SOCIAL ISSUES Notwithstanding what people would say, Aashima Walia decided to move in with her partner five years back when she was only 20. “I feel everyone should try it before committing to marriage. Being from a small town like Patiala, there were too many problems. His parents initially didn’t accept my living with them, but they felt it was better than letting the whole society talk ill about us. I think our society SUSHANT SINGH RAJPUT KAREENA KAPOOR KHAN Stupidity goes a long Anil aspires to do better way in B-town: Hashmi Bollywood actor Emraan Hashmi says there are not many producers who are ready to take risks in Bollywood, an industry where stupidity dominates, making it harder for actors to be smart. The actor says today there are at least a handful people trying to push the envelope, which was not the case earlier. “It is difficult being a smart actor in Bollywood. Stupidity goes a long way here. The audience is smart, but not too many proTHE AUDIENCE IS SMART, ducers and BUT NOT TOO MANY directors PRODUCERS AND DIRECTORS take that risk and TAKE THAT RISK AND understand UNDERSTAND THAT. that. Now at EMRAAN HASHMI least we have the new blood coming up with new ❝ stuff,” Emraan said. “Back then, it was just about making escapist films with a star, do what a star is supposed to do... right now, the audience wants to see more than that,” he added. Intelligent audience Emraan started his career in mid-2000s, gaining fame for featuring in films which were dubbed “bold”. The actor eventually shed the “serial kisser” tag with films such as Shanghai, Ghanchakkar and Ek Thi Daayan, among others. The actor says before he turned towards edgier content, he was “stuck” in a zone for a long time. “Initially you can’t voice your concerns because scripts choose you rather than you choosing scripts. When one thing works, they just stretch that to make c m y b them work again and again. “Producers see it as safety net, a cash register. Where the audience is expected not to ask questions. Then I met filmmakers and producers who wanted to challenge me as an actor.” Emraan says if 2018 is anything to go by, where “pure star-driven films” did not work, good concept is the need of the hour. “Because of the influence of the web, the audience knows what they’re missing out on here. Right now a handful of actors are doing a variety of things. The audience doesn’t want to see a star-driven vehicle. They want to see another dimension of you, not you wearing the same urban clothes in a foreign location with 50 background dancers.” — PTI Anil Kapoor, a part of the Hindi film industry for almost four decades, says his mission is to explore more of what he can do and how to improve it. Anil has shown versatility in the myriad genres, like drama, action, romance, comedy and socio-drama. He has even featured in Hollywood films, including Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol and Slumdog Millionaire. Asked if there is anything else he aspires to do, Anil said, “I aspire to do better, to be better. I believe there is no limit to human potential and that we are all capable of much more than we give ourselves credit for. It is my life’s mission to explore more of what I can do and how I can do it better.” The 62-year-old is basking in the success of his latest release Total Dhamaal, which has collected Rs 100 crore at the box-office. CLEAR TAKE: ANIL KAPOOR Anil said it is a great feeling to watch the audience love the comedy film. “It’s a film we all had a blast working on and it is filled with fun. As long as we are making you laugh, it is a good day. I hope the film continues to rise for the coming days as well,” Anil said. Total Dhamaal, directed by Inder Kumar, is the third film in the comedy entertainer franchise Dhamaal. The second was Double Dhamaal. — IANS

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